Re: [Q]: Linux and real device drivers

Alan Cox (alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk)
Tue, 21 Sep 1999 15:07:11 +0100 (BST)


> I don't say they have to be shipped seperately, but if they are separated,
> they can be handled like normal high-priority tasks, swapped out if

They can't because they need to handle interrupts and get high performance

> unused, delivered by manufacturers seperately of the kernel and kernel
> version independent (more or less at least). Besides, by treating

Unlikely. They would stil be very tied to the kernel.

> drivers as tasks, it is sometimes possible to keep a system alive if a
> driver crashes. (Though a real crash is still a real crash...),

If a driver crashes it doesnt really matter what state it was in unless
you start auditing every I/O access via some kind of I/O manager. In which
case it'll take you a week or two to finish booting

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